Covered Deck roof questions

[Todd.Brock]

I am wiring my porch roof and want to put LED lights on the cross beams. I will be wrapping the cross beams with some type of 1x material, maybe PVC or barnwood when I put bead board on the ceiling.

I intend to use the 6" led disk lights that mount to a Jbox. Since I am wrapping with 1x , is there an outdoor rated pancake box that would allow the lights to be flush with the wrapped beams? I could drill into the cross beams to fit a regular round j box since they aren't structural. The builder put them there just to hang a fan and lights, but figured I would start simple.

Also - I intend for a ceiling fan and the four LED disks. I will be running a new 15a circuit that will be switched inside and then come through the rafter against the house and then to the lights and fan. Is there a problem with putting the ceiling fan and LED lights on the same circuit? I wasn't sure if the fan motor would cause interference??

Thanks for any help/ suggestions.

 

[Bert_]

If the box will not be exposed, then there is no reason to use a weatherproof box. Use a standard octagon box.

I would try to stay away from a pancake, as those flush mount lights that look like can lights do not have any room for wiring inside the canopy, and neither does a pancake. It makes it very difficult to make room for any splices. Not to mention being over box fill.

 

[ard]

Fan and LED lights independently controlled? LEDs on a dimmer?

 

[Todd.Brock]

Hi- Yes , lights and fans controlled separately , but would share the neutral on the new circuit, but wasn't sure if a fan motor would cause some weird interference.

@ Bert - the box will be flush mounted to the ceiling beams, hence the pillow profile pancake box. I could notch out the beam and flush mount a full size junction box, but was trying to avoid it.

 

[Bert_]

A pancake will be very full with even two 14-2's. I think if you go by box fill you are only allowed one. You can get by with it if your fixure has space in the canopy but those flush mount LED's have no space.

Just use a box with a side bracket and mount it to the side of the beam. They come in standard and fan rated.

or

 

[ard]

..... mount it to the side of the beam.

Ugly....

 

[Bert_]

Ugly....

I was under the impression that there would be a bead board ceiling? Unless I misinterpreted something, the boxes will get covered.


*edit- I reread a few times and now it think I understand what he is doing. The beadboard will go on the underside of the rafters all the way to the peak, and the beams will remain exposed.

Now I get the desire for using a pancake box.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Ok. It just hit me. The width of the beam is 4.5 inches with the 2x crossmembers and the space in the middle. That's not even wide enough for the 6" Disk lights. So , I'm going to add a 2x block at each rafter to build out the width of the beam. That means I'll have 4.5 inches between the cross membersEnough for a regular depth j box mounted flush inside the beam. I'll block between the crossmembers to provide support when I wrap them with stained wood.

I'll put up some photos this weekend. Also - any thoughts on a fan and the LED disk lights sharing a circuit?

Bert - yes the beams will get wrapped with stained wood and will remain " exposed" once I put the bead board ceiling up.

 

[cybrdyke]

Dump the electrical box and the can. Use canless LED downlights. Square or round, 4" or 6". dimmable, inexpensive. Put them wherever you want, not just where you can mount a box on a beam.
Good luck,
CD

 

[jim111]

Hi- Yes , lights and fans controlled separately , but would share the neutral on the new circuit, but wasn't sure if a fan motor would cause some weird interference.

@ Bert - the box will be flush mounted to the ceiling beams, hence the pillow profile pancake box. I could notch out the beam and flush mount a full size junction box, but was trying to avoid it.

Some combinations of LED lights, dimmers, and fan speed controls will produce "weird" interference with the lights. My advice is to check with the manufacturer specs of each component of your install for compatibility

 

[PT Doc]

I think you will find recessed lights mounted at that height to be really unpleasant and will end up not using them much. But you need som lighting so better to have and not use....

 

[dw1]

Put the lights on a dimmer.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Thanks for the feedback. The lights will be on a dimmer.
PT DOC- correct, it's really hard grilling out in the dark! I am considering adding a couple small LED down lights in the soffits at the end of the gable that will come on with the back porch light. That can be nice lighting with the fire pit, letting the dog out , and not blind the neighbors. The over head LED's will be for what my wife deems necessary- security, social events, etc. I am just the installer.

 

[ard]

I am just the installer.

LOL.

Funny story, a good friend is a world renowned orthopedic surgeon. He has a penchant for landscaping- has a bobcat, has been building decks, gazebos, poured concrete retainers over the years. Last spring was very busy with a major project down by the lake. A new neighbor had moved in, and stopped over to talk with his wife. The new neighbor said "I see your landscaper all the time, but Ive never met your husband" His wife was too embarrassed to say to her, "that's my husband- the landscaper"

 

[Todd.Brock]

My wife doesn't understand my fascination with machinery. I would love to have a big tractor, but don't have the room for it

 

[Todd.Brock]

Long day, but it's 95% complete. Just need to hang the fan which isn't in stock yet, and add 2 more little braces for one of the beams.

I ended up with a dedicated circuit for the fan, pulled power from an existing circuit for the lights, and then tied into the porch light to add soffit lights.

Thanks for all the feedback. It's Miller time. L

 

[dw1]

Looking good!! I finished my covered porch ceiling with T&G Cedar, it turned out pretty good also.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Thanks! Tongue and groove is the next step. I found prenfinished tongue and groove board called Real Soffit. It's 15 bucks per 1x6x12'. So my ceiling will be about 1300 bucks and then what ever to wrap the beams

 

[dw1]

Luckily I found a small sawmill operation, I think I had about $1K in T&G cedar, (but) when I placed my order, it did take about 3 months before he called and said it was ready, I had to drive about 50 miles to pick it up.

 

[dirt_dobber]

DUDE! that turned out awesome - love the warm look of cedar.
I would spend a lot of time on that porch!

 

[Todd.Brock]

I agree that looks awesome!! How does you TV hold up outside?

 

[dw1]

DUDE! that turned out awesome - love the warm look of cedar.
I would spend a lot of time on that porch!

We are out there a lot in the warmer weather. I liked the cedar look and found an old mom and pop mill operation, he cut me 6x6 cedars 12' cheaper than I could get treated ones at HD/Lowes.
As far as the TV, it was a "Black Friday Special" several years ago, nothing fancy or expensive since its outside, I cover it up in the winter months. I pulled a HDMI cable to it, I have a HDMI splitter inside at our family room tv. I can turn the cable box on, set the channel and watch it outside.
My buddy used the white bead board on his ceiling of his covered porch, it turned out real nice.

 

[dw1]

I bought this cover online a couple years ago, it seems to do a good job for less than $50. I just was not going to spend big $$ on an outdoor tv.


oops, my pic is missing

 

[dw1]

TV cover

 

[Todd.Brock]

Thanks for the info! I too wanted a big screen, but I really wanted a projector to shine against the house on a screen. I thought it would be fun to watch football outside, but everyone tells me unless I have a massive projector, daylight will just wash out the picture so bad it's not worth it. I may just end up with a TV and do like you did.

 

[number9]

Long day, but it's 95% complete. Just need to hang the fan which isn't in stock yet, and add 2 more little braces for one of the beams.

I ended up with a dedicated circuit for the fan, pulled power from an existing circuit for the lights, and then tied into the porch light to add soffit lights.

Thanks for all the feedback. It's Miller time. L

DANG I'm doing the exact same thing right now - house build in process and did NOT even think of having the builder space the collar ties out wider for lights. I've already got them wrapped in PVC trim board (that **** ain't cheap). Back porch isn't finished yet, but roof and interior beams are, probably cost more for the re-do than an alternate light option at this point

We'll have lights on each side of the back door. I'm wondering if LED strip lights on the top of the beams would reflect decent light back down? White ceiling. I'll also look into the canless LED down lights mentioned in this thread.